


A Little Bit Closer

by runicmagitek



Series: Aerti Week 2020 [2]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Memories, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining, OGC and Remake Compliant, Pre-Relationship, fluffy feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:47:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26589112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/runicmagitek/pseuds/runicmagitek
Summary: Aerith forced a smile. “I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have to listen to me ramble. I guess it’s… I see you andyouseem to be taking this so well and… I wish I could, too.”Tifa stared. Words formed on her tongue and died as soon as they came. What comfort was there in admitting she was no different than Aerith?Taking a break in Kalm shouldn't be stressful, but Aerith's been out of it since they left Midgar. Tifa is determined to cheer her up, even a little, only to find out they share similar struggles.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart
Series: Aerti Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1932154
Comments: 16
Kudos: 83





	A Little Bit Closer

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2 - neon | hopes for future content | _querencia_ : a place where one feels safe; a place from which one’s strength of character is drawn

This first night under the sky brought little relief. Tifa tossed and turned, eyes always fixed on the vast emptiness. She counted the stars with the hope the mundane act would lull her to sleep. Instead, she feared the abyss looming overhead would open, pry her from the earth, and swallow her.

Sighing, she rolled onto her side. It didn’t matter if she spent most of her life under the heavens instead of a metal plate; her recent time in Midgar left more of an impression than she wanted to admit.

All of them woke with minimal rest. Stiff muscles ached and heavy eyes swelled. They dragged their feet and yawned. Somewhere along the path was another town, or so Barret claimed. A pitstop, of sorts. A night with a roof over their heads—an elusive treat before they headed out again.

As much as Tifa longed to collapse face-first into a mattress, her mind drifted to the one who lingered behind in their traveling group.

Aerith cast her eyes to the ground. Her feet skidded, lacking the bounce Tifa grew accustomed to. Even her lips curved down. The sight struck Tifa like a dull knife between her ribs.

“Hey,” she murmured, slowing her steps to join Aerith. “You doing alright?”

She lifted her head, almost flinching at Tifa’s voice. “Mmhmm!”

A tight smile formed on her lips. Something short-lived, better suited for a mask than the spirited woman she met at the Wallmarket. Tifa stopped asking, yet the sentiment swirled in her chest.

 _I wish I could help you smile again,_ she kept to herself.

Upon finding the silhouette of buildings crest the horizon the following day, Tifa grinned until her face hurt.

“There it is!” she shouted. “You were right, Barret.”

He gasped and narrowed his eyes on her. “What?! You doubted my navigating?!”

“Not by _that_ much,” Tifa teased before picking up the pace.

Daydreams engulfed her thoughts. She couldn’t wait to indulge in simple luxuries: a warm shower, a firm bed with clean sheets, a hot meal, maybe even wash her clothes or purchase new ones. Her heart skipped a beat; maybe Aerith would enjoy shopping at Kalm.

She made a promise to her, after all.

It wasn’t Midgar, though—slums or topside. Upon reaching Kalm, it proved to be a small, quaint village. The locals meandered the sparse streets, unaware of the travelers arriving. Neon signs flickered in the open establishments, a sharp contrast to the dated streetlamps buzzing to life as the sun set. The thick scent of grease and mythril wafted from the back of the village and intermixed with the fresh summer air only found outside of urban life.

Tifa paused to stretch and inhale. Her smile faltered. Kalm was more reminiscent of her hometown than she imagined it would be.

The initial fear yielded to a nostalgic joy she didn’t realize she clung to. Growing accustomed to Midgar took constant time and effort, but stepping foot in a familiar setting—Nibelheim or not—eased the weight from her shoulders, from her mind, from her heart.

“Cloud,” Tifa called out, “it’s almost like—”

She turned to find the boys missing. Aerith stood in their absence, smoothing her hands over one another. Wide, green eyes twitched about their surroundings. Not from delight, though; her gaze mimicked a cornered animal.

Tifa tilted her head and gingerly approached her. “Hey, did you see where Cloud and the others headed?”

Aerith locked eyes with her, occasionally flicking away. “I think they said something about checking out the inn. Um—” She spun in place, the neon lights of nearby signs catching in her hair. “—I don’t know where exactly that is.”

“It can’t be too far,” Tifa offered, along with a smile. “Kalm doesn’t seem that big. We’ll probably bump into them sooner than later.”

“Right.” Aerith’s eyes drifted above. “At least we’ll have a room for tonight.”

“Tell me about it.”

She didn’t giggle with Tifa. Fingers twitched and lips hardened. Even Tifa’s excitement plummeted; maybe now wasn’t the time to suggest a shopping date.

Or _any_ date.

A loud _kweh_ danced in the air. Tifa turned to the origin, as did Aerith. Miners returned from their shift, as exhausted as the chocobos they rode. One-by-one, they dismounted and brought their chocobos to the stable on the outer perimeter.

“Are those….” Aerith inched closer. “The chocobos. They’re different colors?”

Tifa squinted past the harsh sunlight. Almost everything turned a golden hue, but she discerned a variety of colors herded into the stalls.

“Looks like it,” she replied.

“I thought there were only yellow chocobos.”

“They’re the most common, but they come in all sorts of colors.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Tifa paused, then cracked a smile. “You want to take a look?”

Aerith turned to her and blinked. “Right now?”

“Why not? I don’t know how long Cloud and Barret and Red are going to be. And like I said, it’s a small town.” She extended a hand to Aerith. “We’ll find them again before we get lost.”

The hesitation caught her off guard. Maybe Tifa overstepped a boundary she didn’t know existed between them. But she wanted to brighten Aerith’s day. Or maybe just a moment. Something to remind her there was more to their life than the self-imposed journey they set out for.

Whatever uncertainties she harbored vanished as Aerith slid her hand into Tifa’s. The corners of her mouth curved up—gently, slightly. “Lead the way?”

Tifa squeezed her hand and nodded as her feet did the rest.

They passed the men, discussing their plans of hitting the tavern for after-work drinks. As for their chocobos, the vast birds were content with bags of gysahl greens to munch on. The distinct, earthy aroma found only in stables filtered into the air. Tifa took a deep breath and exhaled with a smile. It was almost like being home.

Almost.

“Wow, look at them!” Tifa said as they arrived. “You were right, Aerith; they _are_ different colors.”

Half were the pure yellow found pulling carriages in Midgar, but the others mixed between blue and green, sometimes a blend of both. The ombre feathers mirrored the shores they walked before reaching Kalm. And then there was the single white chocobo with ice blue eyes, too occupied with preening its feathers than eating dinner.

Aerith approached the white one. Tifa bit back a smirk; of course she had good taste.

“It’s _gorgeous_ ,” Aerith drew out, folding her arms against the wooden beams separating them from the individual stalls.

Tifa joined her and leaned into the structure. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen a white chocobo. I almost forgot how lovely they are.”

A tiny gasp surfaced. “You’ve seen one before?!”

Tifa couldn’t restrain her smile. This was what they needed—a welcomed distraction.

“Yeah,” she said with a nod. “My family used to own a few when I was a kid.”

Aerith jabbed Tifa’s arm with a loose fist. “You had chocobos and you never _told_ me?!”

To that, she laughed. “It’s really not much to talk about! We had them for trips out of town. Quite a way off from a train ride, that’s for sure. Not to mention taking care of the chocobos was constant work.”

Propping up her face’s dreamy expression in her hands, Aerith sighed. “I would love that.”

“At least there are the carriages in Midgar.”

She shook her head, loose brown curls swaying along. “That’s not the same. I’d want to ride one and go wherever I’d want.” Her smile brightened. “Plus you can’t give a train snuggles or treats.”

“That’s for sure.” Movement caught her attention from her peripherals. Turning her head, Tifa gasped and pointed. “Look!”

The white chocobo stretched its wings and fluffed its chest. Finally content with its meticulous grooming, it ambled to the gysahl greens. After several bites, it abandoned its food and circled the stall.

“Maybe it’s not hungry?” Aerith wondered out loud, more distraught at the idea than the chocobo was.

“Could also be a picky eater. I used to have one that would be upset if it could see the bottom of the tray. I’d have to pile up the greens and make it _seem_ like a lot of food. This one’s not too different. Might also be showing off for us, now that it has an audience.”

Aerith snickered. “You think so?”

“Sure! Look at that prance.” She gestured to the pronounced strides the chocobo took. Paired with its tall stature and occasional coo, the bird reminded her of an entertainer basking in the spotlight and _not_ a riding mount. “Yeah, this one wants attention, for sure.”

“Attention, huh? Do you… think it would like some pets?”

“Probably. I’ve yet to meet a chocobo that didn’t like scritches behind the ears.”

Aerith’s lips widened at that idea. She stepped up the wooden rungs of the fence and leaned in as the chocobo made another pass. Aerith reached out, fingers fanned out and taut. Amidst her flailing, the chocobo dodge her and continued.

As for Aerith, she hopped down beside Tifa and pouted. “I don’t think it likes me.”

Oh, the way her lower lip jutted out. Part of Tifa yearned to tilt her face up and kiss away that pout. The mere idea evoked blush. With a breath, she banished the thought, yet the heat stayed. _If only I was half as bold as you are,_ Tifa kept to herself, _then maybe I wouldn_ _’t think twice._

But the outgoing, sassy flower girl she met in the slums had been anything but that since they fled Midgar. For a moment, Tifa thought that light of hers returned, only to fade away, like the setting sun. What sunlight remained spilled over them and the stables, yet the shadows crawled at a steady pace, soon to swallow all of Kalm. Dark enough to dissuade them from keeping the chocobos company.

 _Just a little longer,_ Tifa thought. _I promise I_ _’ll make it worthwhile._

Tifa jumped onto the fence, balance on the wood railing as she extended a hand. She made kissy sounds while rubbing her fingers together. The white chocobo paused and cocked its head. Tifa cracked a smile and tapped the wooden fence.

“Come here!” she said in a sing-song tone, better suited for wrangling toddlers. “We won’t hurt you. Just wanted to say hello.”

More kissy sounds. The chocobos reciprocated with its own chirps and coos.

“That’s it!” Tifa continued, gradually extending her arm as the chocobo waltzed over. “Oh, aren’t you a good chocobo. And a pretty one, too!”

Several more steps and the chocobo closed the distance between them. Her fingertips grazed the silky feathers. Keeping her eyes locked with the chocobo’s, she sank her hand into it and scratched the length of its neck. The chocobo wiggled and cooed, the sounds lengthened with a trill.

“Is it okay?” Aerith asked.

“Oh, this big bird is enjoying itself.” She chuckled at the chocobo leaned into her hand, almost knocking itself off balance. “Maybe a little too much. Careful! You’re going to fall if you keep doing that.” Peeking at Aerith, she smiled and beckoned to her with a jerk of her head. “Come on. It won’t bite.”

Aerith scaled the fence again before Tifa finished her sentence. Even then, she hesitated before reaching for the chocobo to scratch the other side of its head. The chocobo ruffled its feathers and let out a content _kweh_. After several scritches, the chocobo leaned more into Aerith. She wobbled on the fence, only to have Tifa grab her arm to steady her.

“I think it likes you,” Tifa teased.

Aerith laughed, not bothered by her teetering feet or the chocobo nipping her jacket or Tifa’s touch; she combed both hands through the pure white feathers until the chocobo favored her and nestled its head into her arms. Tifa leaned back and enjoyed the view. _Never thought I_ _’d be jealous of a chocobo,_ she thought.

Then Aerith caught her eye and that smile of hers softened into something else, something Tifa couldn’t pinpoint. “You’re really good at this.”

Tifa blinked. “How so? With the chocobo?”

“Not only that.” Aerith stroked between the chocobo’s eyes. “You seem comfortable outside the city, like it comes naturally.”

Breath caught in her throat as she stared at Aerith. Those green eyes drifted away. She still bestowed the chocobo with idle attention, though her features gave way to a melancholy Tifa finally recognized; she once found a similar face in her reflection in her early years in Midgar.

“This… hasn’t been easy,” Aerith quietly admitted. “I’ve always been a city girl. Sure, the flowers don’t make that convincing, but—” She tilted her head back to the skies, where the clouds were no longer white and an array of vibrant, warm colors dared to overpower to purples and blues settling in. “—it’s all I’ve ever known. The cramped passages, the synthetic structures, all the people and _noise_ and….”

Silence loomed between them. Tifa didn’t dare shatter it. Not until Aerith was ready.

“I thought this is what I’d want,” she said. “You know, be out in nature and everything. It would be like my garden, except bigger. And… it is, sort of. A _lot_ bigger. Maybe too big. I didn’t think the open skies would be so… suffocating. I used long for those slivers of green and blue I saw past the plates. I thought I’d enjoy that—to be free from a cage. And I shouldn’t miss it, right? Nobody _actually_ wants to live in the slums. People are born into it or fall upon bad times. It’s nobody’s dream, but it was enough of a home. We made the most of it, anyways.”

Aerith forced a smile. “I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have to listen to me ramble. I guess it’s… I see _you_ and you seem to be taking this so well and… I wish I could, too.”

Tifa stared. Words formed on her tongue and died as soon as they came. What comfort was there in admitting she was no different than Aerith?

Swallowing hard, Tifa found her voice. “When I first came to Midgar, it was really hard for me.”

She tucked loose hair behind her ear and waited for a reply from Aerith: a tilt of her head, a raised brow, anything. Her unblinking eyes locked with Tifa’s, more vibrant than the neon lights glowing from afar.

Maybe that was enough.

“Where I came from,” Tifa pressed on, “most people didn’t even know it existed until Shinra plopped a reactor in the mountains. It was a small town. Simple, even. Everyone knew each other by name. There wasn’t much to it and I wanted nothing more than a life of excitement. I wanted to walk the streets and have countless shops to choose from. I wanted to visit the movie theaters whenever I felt like it and have my pick of restaurants and bakeries. I wanted so much that my town didn’t have to offer… that it never _would_ offer.”

She reached out to pet the chocobo’s neck. “I got sick of chocobo rides real fast. It’s never fun when you have to spend almost an hour one way to someplace interesting. I used to send away for brochures to other cities, like Junon and Corel. I’d flip through them at night and imagine living someplace where everything was in arm’s reach.” Her eyes fell, as did her hand. “Then when I _did_ come to Midgar, it… it wasn’t what I wanted it to be. I was a face lost in a crowd. Easily forgotten. I missed the people who remembered my name, who remembered _me_.”

Tifa breathed out a chuckle. “It was the first time I wanted to go back home, to how things used to be.”

A soft hand caught hers. Fingers pressed between the spaces until they locked. Tifa hitched her breath and looked up. Aerith smiled and held their hands together along the fence.

“Maybe we’ll find something better suited for us,” Aerith said.

Her mind painted a vivid picture of them in a downtown sprawl. Not too busy or empty. A garden for Aerith and boutiques within walking distance for Tifa. Enough room to move around in, but neither was lost. A happy, middle ground for them.

Tifa liked that. Wanted it, even.

But maybe that wasn’t what Aerith meant. Maybe she wished for the best for each of them, not together. And yet the longing gaze and the idle shapes she drew into Tifa’s hand said otherwise.

Tifa squeezed. “I’d like that.”

Pink hues graced Aerith’s face. Or perhaps the remaining light cast the warmth over her. “Me too.”

The sun receded into the distant ocean. Homes glowed from within. The surrounding chocobos curled up and tucked their beaks under their wings. Even the white one, who grew terribly fond of Aerith, slipped away to pick at its greens before settling in for a snooze. All the while, Tifa held onto Aerith, neither loosening their grip.

“I wonder if Cloud and Barret found that inn they were looking for,” Aerith said.

“Hmm. Maybe.” Tifa paused. “They’re probably looking for us.”

“Or they claimed their beds and passed out.”

Tifa snickered. “That’s quite possible.”

Another pause. Another lull between the wind and village ambiance.

“Think we should head back?” Tifa offered.

She caught Aerith tugging her lower lip briefly. “Just a bit longer?”

Who was Tifa to say no?

They balanced on the wooden beams and watched the chocobos sleep. Stars winked into view above. Her muscles ached and begged for rest, but Tifa persisted. When else would they have a quiet moment to cherish together?

The wind picked up and Aerith shivered. “Wow, it’s colder out here, too. Without all the buildings and machines generating heat, it’s—”

One step was all it took. Their shoulders bumped. The wood groaned at the shifting weight. Tifa looped an arm around Aerith and held her close.

“There,” she murmured into Aerith’s hair. “Better?”

Was it her heart or Aerith’s that pulsed rapidly? She never responded, but Aerith didn’t need to; she melted into Tifa, propped her head on Tifa’s shoulder, and hummed.

If only time stood still. If only they had met on better terms. If only they could find that perfect in-between place for both of them.

“You know,” Aerith purred out, as soft as the exposed skin Tifa caressed, “I’d love to see it one day.”

Tifa raised an eyebrow. “See what?”

“Your town. Where you’re from. It… sounds lovely.”

Her heart skipped, then leaped into her throat. After several breaths, it settled back in her chest. To tell Aerith the truth, what _really_ happened…. No, not now. Maybe not ever. But that wasn’t what eased her nerves. It was the fact Aerith didn’t pry when everyone else she crossed in Midgar had. If she didn’t like the city, then why not leave and go back where she came from? But it wasn’t that simple. Maybe Aerith understood that. Maybe she was more concerned about seeing the place that once made Tifa happy, what she longed for.

Then again, Tifa didn’t need to travel anywhere to show Aerith that happiness; she simply held her, brushed away the chills, and promised to stay a little longer.


End file.
